Apparatus for neutralizing corrosive fumes in gases.



T. E. MURRAY & E. B. RICKETTS. APPARATUS FOR NEUTRALIZING .CORROSIVE FUMES m GASES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. I, I9I5.

1,139,053. Patented May 11, 1915.

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' I gvwentoza AM Aim T. E..MURRAY & E. B. RiCKETTS. APPARATUS ron NEUTRALIZING CORROSIVE FUMES m GASES. APPLICA TION HL'ED FEB. I, I915. 1,139,053, Patented May 11, 1915.

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THOIiIAS E. MURRAY AND EIlWIN B. RICICETTS, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

APPATUS FOR NEUTRALIZING CORROSIVE FUMES IN GASES.-

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, THOMAS E. MURRAY and EDWIN B. RIonn'rTs, citizens of the nited States, residing at New York, in the county of New York and State of New York. have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for Neutralizing Corrosive Fumes in Gases, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention is'an apparatus for new tralizing corrosive gas contained in a current of inert gas and for carrying into effect the process disclosed in U. S. Letters Patent No. 1,132,679, granted to us March 23, 1915.

Our invention is more especially intended to neutralize the fumes of sulfuric acid which arise from storage batteries While be ing charged, which fumes are destructive to clothing and many other objects, and also injurious to health.

By means of our apparatus the current containing the corrosive gas is caused to pass in the form of fine jets through a sheet, or sheets, of liquid solution containing an ingredient capable of chemically combining with said gases to produce an inert or noncorrosive substance which is taken up by said solution; so that the current is delivered substantially free from said gas. a

In the accompanying drawingsFigure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of our apparatus. Fig. 2 is a transverse section on the line y, y of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section of a portion of one of the perforated plates.

Similar letters of reference indicate like parts.

A is a duct leading from the battery room or other place in which corrosive fumes, such as those of sulfuric acid, are generated. Said fumes mingled with the air of the room are drawn from said room and delivered to the-chimney or other outlet by means of an exhaust fan B, here shown as driven by an electric motor C. In the duct A is disposed a box D, divided horizontally into two'compartments E, F by a partition G, formed in a series of parallel troughs H. In the bottom of each trough is a slot to receive the upper shouldered portion I of a vertical plate J. The said shouldered portion I is supported in any suitable way, as by blocks L, Fig. 3, above the trough bottom, and there is clearance between the sides of said portion and saidv trough walls, as shownat M, so that liquid in the trough may Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 11, 915.

Application filed February 1, 1915. Serial No. 5,526.

down both surfaces of said plate in substantially thin sheets N. The plates J have many fine perforations. At their vertical edges, they are in contact with the side walls of compartment F.

O is a rotary pump, the shaft of which is driven by belt P from motor C. The inlet pipe Q of said pump is connected to the bot tom of compartment F, and the outlet pipe It to the top of compartment E. In compartment F We place a solution of soda ash, preferably in the proportion of one pound of soda ash to each gallon of water. This solution, by means of pump 0, is drawn from compartment F and delivered into compartment E, whence it flows down the surfaces of the vertical perforated plates J, as already described, in the form of thin liquid sheets N. The current of air containing the acid fumes to be eliminated is drawn by the exhaust fan B through said liquid sheets, and through the perforations in plates J, as indicated by the arrows 1. The soda solution because drawn through the perforations becomes broken up into a fine spray and is thoroughly mixed with the air and acid fumes, neutralizing the sulfuric acid and producing sodium sulfate which enters into the solution. The chemical reaction here taking place is as follows:

I Ia CO I H,S0 :NzaSOfl-ILO-l-CO By means of pump 0, a continuous circu lation of the soda ash solution is kept up over the surfaces of plates J. When said solution becomes overcharged with sodium sulfate, it is drawn off and fresh solution substituted. Any number of plates J may be used. While We have here shown them as of considerable thickness, we may make them; if desired, of any suitable foraminous material, such as Wire-netting or gauze, or perforated thin metal.

We claim:

1. An apparatus for freeing a gas current from corrosive gas, comprising a perforated or foraminous plate, means for delivering a liquid upon said plate to form a thin sheet over the surface thereof facing the gas inlet and means for projecting said current directly upon the surface of said liquid sheet to mingle therewith and pass through the openings in said plate.

2. An apparatus for freeing a gas current from corrosive gas, comprising a perforated or foraminous plate, means for deres livering a liquid to form thin sheets on 0pposite surfaces of said plate, and means for projecting said current directly upon the surface of one of said liquid sheets to mingle therewith and pass through the openings in said plate.

3. An apparatus for freeing a gas cur-, rent from corrosive gas, comprising a perforated or foraminous plate, means for continuously delivering a liquid upon said plate to form a thin sheet over the surface thereof facing the gas inlet and means for projecting said current directl upon the surface of'said liquid sheet to mingle therewith and/ pass through the openings in said plate.

4. An apparatus for freeing a gas current from corrosive gas, comprising a casing adapted to contain liquid, and having an inlet and an outlet for said current, aperforated or foraminous partition extendin downwardly from the upper. wall of said casing to a point below the liquid level in said casing and interposed between said inlet and said outlet, and means for continuously elevating the liquid in said casing to the top of said plate on the side facing said current inlet and delivering the same upon the surface of said plate in the form of a thin sheet.

5. An apparatus for freeing a gas current from corrosiw gas, com rising a casing adapted to contain liqui and having an inlet and an outlet for said current, a receptacle for liquid in the upper part of said casing, a plurality of perforated or foraminous plates interposed between said inlet and said outlet and extending downwardly from said receptacle to a point below the liquid level in said casing and receivin liquid from said receptacle in the form 0 thin sheets upon their surfaces facing said rent from corrosive gas, comprising a cas-.

ing, and having an inlet and an outlet for said current, a transverse trough in the tudinal opening in its bottom, and a perforated or foraminous plate in said casing interposed between said inlet and said outlet and removably' supported at its upper edge in saidtrough and passing through said trough openingwith a clearance to permit liquid from said trough to flow down and over said plate.

7. An apparatus for freeing a gas current from corrosive gas, comprising a casing, and having an inlet and an outlet for said current, a plurality of transverse troughs in the upper part of said casing having longitudinal openings in their hottoms, perforated or foraminous plates in said casing interposed between said inlet and said outlet and respectively removably supported at their upper edges in said troughs and passing through said trough openings with a clearance to permit liquid from said troughs to flow down and over said plates, the lower edges of said plates extending below the liquid level in said casing, and means for continuously elevating li( uid from said casing to said troughs.

ln testimony whereof we have afiixed our signatures in presence of two witnesses.

Witnesses:

GERTRUDE T. PORTER, MAY T. MoGARRY.

upper part of saidcasing having a longi- 

